WELCOME TO OLDE TOWNE. The Dotseth family became preservationists with a reputation of housing all types of historical memorabilia tied to the Chippewa Valley. This August, the public will have the opportunity to peruse the space and enjoy a cocktail at the bar, pictured above. 

100 sleds, parts of a former municipal bridge, and carpeting from Minnesota’s original Guthrie Theater. Strung together, those words initially seem random – until you step inside Olde Towne Menomonie.

Proprietor Tim Dotseth has spent a lifetime studying craftsmanship and salvaging pieces and parts otherwise abandoned, resulting in the multi-room time capsule within the building at 903 Cedar Falls Rd., Menomonie. For many locals, their first glimpse inside Olde Towne came this past July during a rare open-to-the-public event held at the banquet hall.

“The place was packed because a lot of people never see this space unless they rent it,” Stephanie Perry, owner of The Oaklawn Inn (423 Technology Dr. E, Menomonie) and fellow preservationist, said of the open bar event hosted at Olde Towne.

While an open bar is not the usual gathering Olde Towne hosts – the banquet hall has been used for business meetings, class reunions, celebrations of life, weddings, birthday parties, and more over the years – it’s also not your dime-a-dozen event space.

“We love (hosting) because that’s a different energy, with a group of people who all know each other and gather here, but we wanted people to come and actually see what it is,” Stephanie explained. “It’s not a standard banquet hall.”

Unless you envisioned a floor-to-ceiling historical capsule – literally to the ceiling; Tim noted about 100 vintage sleds decorate it, while various vintage bicycles and airplanes hang just below – with multiple rooms, each sporting their own “theme” or collection of items.

"Sometimes contractors and other people call and say 'Hey, I got this, would you be interested?' You start going to auctions, you start buying stuff, and, hell, we've been doing it for 50 years. Then you get a collection."

TIM DOTSETH

PROPRIETOR OF OLDE TOWNE MENOMONIE & Wilson place mansion

As Tim recalls, he bought a portion of the former downtown Menomonie bridge, pictured above, for $1. Local girl scouts took some of the railings, which now reside in public parks in Menomonie, and other pieces now welcome folks to Olde Towne Menomonie.

Tim’s family business, John Dotseth Trucking, has long called the Menomonie site its home base. The current Olde Towne building also formerly acted as offices for his parents, John and Jacqueline – both of whom have been recognized by the city as distinguished citizens. Later in life, the Dotseths dedicated significant time and effort toward preservation efforts – which Tim, too, has continued.

For Dunn County folks, Tim has become known as the guy who has everything: pieces of significant historic memorabilia housed within Olde Towne’s walls, including original photographs and postcards of a former citizenry, Dunn News filings, and literal bricks and boards from now-demolished Menomonie area buildings.

Tim walked me through most of Olde Towne’s rooms, able to point at any given item and detail its background and historical significance. Milk cans and license plates line the ceiling of one room (formerly Tim’s father’s office), host to hutches filled with Dunn memorabilia and blacksmith tools.

“The milk cans are all from the creamery in Dunn County primarily. The first year we had the display set up was out at the Farm Days at Ruskin, ’88, I think that was,” Tim said. “The license plates are all from my grandpa’s truck, and before my grandpa died he said, ‘save them license plates.’ I was 13 at the time and thought, ‘what am I going to do with license plates?’ But I’m glad I did.”

In each nook, cranny, and hutch of the room above, pieces of history are on display and tucked away. Tim knows the story behind just about every individual item, including the license plates and milk cans shown in the ceiling above.

Olde Towne Menomonie is a banquet hall – the first public banquet hall in Menomonie – and features several rooms, including the one pictured. The floor is made up of bricks originally from the old brickyards of Menomonie. At one point, there were five brickyards in town. 

Back out into the banquet hall’s main room and bar space, it’s hard not to slack-jawed stare at all the ephemera on display. Posters and signage, black-and-white photographs and news clippings, literal storefronts given new life inside the banquet hall, and even the former Menomonie High School’s bell, fill every nook and cranny.

The key, Tim said, is to have memorabilia with stories that could call to anyone. A giant vintage pencil dangles from the ceiling, which Tim said is a go-to for educators; one of potentially 10 outboard motors that exist today, originally designed and invented in Menomonie; a display case once used in the town’s Acoustic Café; and more.

Yet, those items on display are only a select portion of what the Dotseths have collected over the decades.

“I’ve been chasing this stuff for years,” Tim said, when I asked how he accumulated so many pieces. “Sometimes contractors and other people call and say ‘Hey, I got this, would you be interested?’ You start going to auctions, you start buying stuff, and, hell, we’ve been doing it for 50 years. Then you get a collection.”

"Tim has completely retrained my thinking of this. I liked antiques (before), but now I value them."

STEPHANIE PERRY

owner, the oaklawn inn

As for his “why,” his response was matter-of-fact. “Why do you keep fishing? Why do you keep golfing? Why do we pursue our passions,” he said. “You get different perspectives.”

A 5,000-square-foot shop out back, a separate building from Olde Towne, houses much more — including in-progress works and restoration projects. We stopped at a bundle of vintage lightning rods, near a wall calendar from a friend’s business, and in front of a waterworks exhibit Tim put together himself with some of Menomonie’s original wood pipes.

“Every project I’ve ever been involved in only seems to turn into something other than what we thought was the plan,” Tim said. “We’re accused of being workaholics; My mother’s always told me ‘slow down, slow down, slow down.’

“I’m trying to slow down but I’m (also) trying to get these projects that I’ve got in my head for the last 60 years, to fruition.”

Just behind the carousel-seat animal, is the bell from the former Menomonie High School. (Yes, its toll still sounds gloriously. Stephanie and Tim said they ring it on occasion for diners and class reunion gatherings.)

Formerly John Dotseth's office, each room of Olde Towne Menomonie – and its walls, doors, ceilings, etc. – is adorned with memorabilia.

Some people may wonder why Tim has not handed over his collection to a museum or to the city. In actuality, a network of local preservationists and collectors know each other quite well, and call on one another when an item pops up that may be of interest. However, much of what Tim and his family have curated, are items that others simply discarded – not realizing or caring of their importance.

Both Tim and Stephanie spoke to the principal of remembering the history of a place, of its community.

“Tim has completely retrained my thinking of this,” Stephanie said. “I liked antiques (before), but now I value them. There are these amazing pieces — handmade by people from 100 years ago here; we should value that, especially nowadays.

“Menomonie’s history is just phenomenal. It’s not just the lumber industry, it’s the ingenuity that came from physical work that actually accomplished things.”

“Everything breathes,” Tim said. “You have to breathe, I have to breathe, buildings have to breathe.”

At Olde Towne Menomonie, history breathes once again.

The public will have one more opportunity this summer to check out Olde Towne in-person, at its “Good Spirits” open bar event from 6:30-9:30pm on Friday, Aug. 15. Enjoy casual conversation, cocktails, and community – while taking a trip through Dunn County’s history.

Jacqueline Dotseth handmade banners for each community group Olde Towne Menomonie hosted, giving one to the group and keeping one to display. Those pictured above are just a portion of her collection.

Learn more about Olde Towne Menomonie (903 Cedar Falls Rd., Menomonie) and reserve space for your next gathering online at oldetowne.us. Keep up with the business on Facebook or reach out via email at Info@OldeTowneHall.com.